Mint Avenue
by AncientMenace
Summary: When the Straw Hat Pirates find themselves in trouble with their money, they seek out help from the town of Sealure. Yet Sanji takes the hunt for money too far and wanders into the salacious world of 'Mint Avenue'. - ZoSan


The crew stood in shock at the ornament in front of them. Luffy had finally done it. The captain of the Straw Hat pirates had finally bought a bronze statue - a large, bronze statue of a piece of meat. Reactions varied from Nami fainting, to Brook's jaw dropping. No one had expected Luffy to ever follow through with his wishes to by a bronze statue, and it showed from their reactions. Luffy simply laughed about how his crew was so happy that they couldn't even speak, which was clearly not the reason. Usopp had hesitantly walked up to the statue and gazed up at its height. It was wide too, and the bone holding the meat together was large enough to be the length of Usopp's body. Franky began to investigate the proportions of the meat statue, trying to calculate just how much bronze would have been used. Nami had risen like a zombie out if Robin's arms and stalked towards their giddy captain.

"Luffy...Just how did you pay for this...thing?

"Ah! I found a bag of gold in your room while you were out and I thought I would surprise you with that bronze statue you all wanted!"

The other crew members held their hands against their ears in preparation for the oncoming shouts from their navigator.

"ALL OF MY GOLD?!"

Even with their ears blocked, the crew members heard the shout as clear as day, and most cringed thinking they were now permanently deaf.

"Luffy! That gold was all we had left!"

"WHAT?!" Luffy sported an appalled look on his face, and pointed at Nami with an accusing finger.

"That was all of our gold?! How will we buy more meat?!"

"Well I guess now that you have your 'meat bronze statue' you won't be needing anymore meat!"

Luffy moped over to his bronze statue and sadly began to nibble at the metal, which resulted in small clanking noises. The crew had watched the whole ordeal, and were now making their way inside the galley with Nami to discuss their new poverty situation. Nami ordered everybody (excluding Luffy who was still attempting to eat the statue) to sit down and listen.

"Before we all stress out, I need to know if anybody has any money stored away. I know that most of you like to keep your own pocket change, but for the good of this crew it's time to reveal your savings."

Sanji had no hesitations in walking over to a cupboard and pulling out a medium sized glass jar full of Beli notes and random jewels. Nami's eyes sparkled at the sight of Sanji tipping all of his savings onto the wooden table in front of the seated crew. The chef sorted out the money from the jewels and pushed both piles towards Nami.

"This is all just some extra change I've saved up from when I get cheap bargains on ingredients. The jewels are from what I find inside fish when I gut them."

"Sanji-kyun you're the best!" The navigator squealed as she jumped up and down, rewarding Sanji with the view of her bouncing breasts.

One by one each crew member coughed up any extra change they had saved away, including Luffy who pulled a few notes out from inside his pants. Eventually a small pile was created, and as Nami and Robin counted through how much was collected, Sanji began on his stock check. The other men of the crew occupied their time by fishing or working on any other hobbies. Franky was keeping Sunny on course to the next island, which Nami had declared to be only a few hours away. Sanji was glad to hear that they were close to another island, because the ingredients he bought at the current island weren't going to last them very long, which was yet another problem to add to their list.

Robin had summoned all of the men to the galley with the appearance of an arm and a tap on each shoulder, and as each man piled in the first face they saw was Nami with a depressed scowl. Not a good sign. Once everybody had seated, Robin stood and rested her hand on Nami's shoulder, the other landed on the neat pile of money and jewels.

"After counting numerous times through the money and determining the worth of these jewels, we are unhappy to announce that the collected sum was a mere 30,000 beli..."

Zoro had sputtered at that and slammed his hands in the table.

"That's more than enough!" he declared, sending an astonished look Nami's way.

"Are you kidding me?" Sanji cut in, "That amount can't even buy us a week's worth of food! With 9 people to feed - wait - 15 people if you include Luffy's endless stomach, it's not enough to afford cuts of meat, fresh vegetables, fruits, spices, medical supplies, your alcohol...We're screwed!"

Zoro slumped back into his seat with a huff and folded his arms in annoyance. The rest of the crew sat in shock at the harsh reality that Sanji has just placed in front of their eyes. They really were screwed. It was then that Nami had finally awoken from her daze, and with a smirk towards Sanji she stood on the table with a determined pose.

"We're not screwed! Take it from a girl who collected money for half of her life. If there's a will there's a way!"

"Who's Will?" Luffy interjected, earning a sigh from Usopp and Chopper.

"We'll simply earn money on the next island!"

A sceptical look from Usopp prompted Nami to explain her plan with more description.

"Look, it's easy! The next island is supposed to be popular for it's seafood exports, so we'll arrive there tomorrow, get jobs and earn some money. When we reach a certain amount that will keep us going for a while we can then continue on with our adventure!" Stepping down from the table with the help of Sanji, Nami had one last thing to say before she left the room.

"First thing we do when we get there though, is sell that friggin statue!" The navigator then stormed off, leaving behind the echoing sounds of Luffy yelling out statements of 'mutiny!' and 'not my meat!'.

* * *

After a healthy breakfast the next morning, the crew all watched as their island of fate came into view. They were utterly screwed if the island was flooded with marines, yet it seemed that Lady Luck was on their side. A few minutes of being pushed along by a steady breeze, a harmless island greeted their ship. The radiant town of Sealure was large enough to almost occupy all of the island. Sandstone pavements and pathways snaked throughout the town, leading to china-blue coated buildings and cream coloured houses. The main attraction was the large court in the middle of the town, with a large water fountain surrounded by seats and market stalls. Local fishermen guided Franky into a large available spot at the docks, and were even hospitable enough to supply the crew with maps of the city. Each member wasted no time in beginning to wander around town in search of any jobs available.

Robin managed to catch herself a job at the local bookstore and Chopper was hired at the local chemist. Nami tried to seduce many employers, yet she had trouble finding a job that offered enough money for her. Luffy on the other hand, had no problems in snatching a job with the fishermen they met at the port. A simple job of carrying the freshly caught fish from the ships to the warehouse was easy enough for the captain to handle. Usopp was picky with what he wanted to do. If he was going to work hard labour, he wanted to enjoy it. Luckily enough, both he and Franky had the same idea of visiting the local black smith. The owner was weary to accept two new employees at the same time, but after witnessing both of their smithing skills, they were hired in an instant. The initial fear of a skeleton walking into his shop had scared the owner of '_La Musica',_ but after a second glance at the crown sitting upon the famous afro, the man kneeled at the presence of the 'Soul King'. Needless to say Brook snagged himself a job in the instrument shop without even uttering a word.

Sanji placed the delectable meal in front of the head chef with ease. The bearded man's eyes widened as soon as the food entered his mouth, and Sanji was awarded with a job as a kitchen hand to work a 12am-5pm shift. The chef felt offended at the low position he was hired as, but a job was a job, even of the hours were short and the position was the lowest of the low. The blond haired man left the restaurant with a scowl and shuffled along with the small crowd of people in town. A piece of paper suddenly slapped onto his face and momentarily blocked his view. Taking a moment to stumble at his sudden blindness, the chef ripped the paper from his face and read its contents. The single words '**employees needed immediately**' prompted Sanji to continue reading with interest.

**Requirements:**

**˚ A male**

**˚ Available for 10pm - 5am shift**

**˚ No experience needed - Training provided**

The job was too perfect to be true, yet Sanji was willing to take the small risk of a fraud advertising. Reading the small print address on the crinkled flyer, the chef checked the map and began to make his way in the right direction.

* * *

Zoro finally arrived back at the S_unny_ with an unamused look. Some crew members had already returned, and were discussing their new occupations and how much they'll be earning. From the looks of it only he and Nami were yet to be hired for any work, though the chef hadn't arrived yet, so it could be the three of them. The swordsman listened on as Chopper explained the role of his job at the chemist and he slowly nodded his head in an attempt to show that he was listening.

The sun was close to setting, and Zoro was getting hungry, much like the rest of the crew. Eventually the chef climbed aboard the ship and made his way to the kitchen. The crew sat together at the table and waited for dinner to be served, as well as listening to Sanji explain how he only managed to snag a job as a measly kitchen hand. Zoro was about to make fun of Sanji's pathetic job, but realised that he had no right to, as he didn't even _have_ a job.

After a warm dinner and a quick clean up, the Straw Hat pirates invited some of the fishermen that were working late to join them for a celebration. A few accepted the invitation, while others sadly explained that they had no time to slack off. The few hours of merriment with the friendly strangers eventually died down as each man and woman explained that they needed to go back home to their families. A sober Sanji guided a sloshed Franky and Usopp to their room, whilst Chopper and Luffy followed after them. Zoro and Nami called off their drinking tournament at a draw (they had run out of alcohol) and agreed to go to bed. Robin offered to go on watch duty for the few final hours of the night, just in case any Marines arrived.

Sanji laid in his cot and ruffled through his hair in agitation. He felt bad that he lied to his crew members about his new job, but the embarrassment was too much to handle. Thinking back on it, he really wasn't too sure why he accepted that second job, but there was no going back now.

_The small building looked much the same as all the others did, yet a simple sign plastered above the door identified the place to be called 'Mint Avenue'. Sanji really didn't know what to expect when he walked in, yet all he was met with was a small room with a simple desk in the middle. The walls of the room were covered with wall length mirrors, and the cook felt hypnotised at the infinite reflections of himself. The quiet ticking of a clock echoed through the room and the scribbling of a pen captured Sanji's attention. He was shocked to see a slender woman with dark skin concentrating on her writing, her hair was shaved on both sides, creating a small mohawk out of her frizzy hair. The bangles on her arm clanked to the movement of her writing, and it seemed that she had not yet noticed Sanji's entrance. The chef merely coughed in awkwardness to state his arrival, and the woman stopped her writing to slowly gaze up to him. The red, pouting lips of the woman clicked in annoyance and looked back down to her writing._

_"Appointment or visit?"_

_Sanji walked closer to the woman and placed the sheet of crumpled paper onto the shining white surface of her desk. The name tag attatched to the woman's shirt read 'Margie' and her low cut purple shirt allowed for a hint of cleavage to be seen. The chef watched on in curiosity as Margie inspected the sheet of paper and gave the man a once over. With a jut of her thumb, the woman directed Sanji's gaze to a set of stairs behind her that he never noticed before. Hesitantly walking over to the staircase, the cook slowly descended down into wherever this place led to. Once at the bottom of the stairs, he was met with a large black door. Even from the looks of its thickness, the booming sound of loud music could be faintly heard through the door. If this was an opportunity for work, he was going to take it and earn enough money to make his Nami-swan proud of him. So without another thought, Sanji grasped the large silver handle with a secure grip and slowly pushed the door open._

_Heavy bass blasted into Sanji's ears, yet he proceeded to enter with the purpose of getting this job. After the initial shock of the music blowing up his eardrums, he finally took notice of his surroundings. A long length stage held five silver poles, which were currently occupied by half naked men twisting their bodies up and down them. Beli notes were thrown all over the stage, and one dancer knelt down so another man could place a note in his pants. Sanji nearly vomited at the sight and was about to turn back when a slim woman in a long silk red dress sauntered over to him. Gently grabbing his arm, she guided Sanji behind the crowd of men and woman waving their money about, and led him into another black door._

_"You looked like you didn't know what you were doing out there, so I assume you are not here for pleasure. Yet why did Margie let you in?"_

_Exploding into a flurry of hearts, Sanji knelt down in front of the brunette and held his hand out for her to take._

_"Oh sweet maiden, the gods have brought us together on this fateful day so that I may be of service to your radiant beauty~"_

_The woman allowed for Sanji to place a chaste kiss on the back of her hand, before she let out an amused laugh._

_"So you are here for work? Excellent. Please, follow me so we can discuss the conditions of this job."_

_The cook dumbly followed behind the woman down the narrow corridor and into an elegant room. The woman sat down in a large armchair and motioned for Sanji to do the same._

_"I am guessing this is not what you were expecting from the flyer? I can see that you are strictly a 'ladies man'."_

_"Yes that is true, but you were advertising for the bar tending position perhaps?"_

_"I can assure you that I already have the finest bar tenders working for me already, Mr..?"_

_Sanji mulled over whether or not he should reveal his real name. He assumed that the rest of the crew had created alias names when being hired for work, so the chef replied with the only name ever used in situations like these._

_"Prince"_

_"Well Mr Prince, my business works to provide pleasure to any man or woman who seeks it, for a price. This pleasure is presented by staged entertainment, which is what this job will require you to do."_

_"Staged entertainment?"_

_"Yes, you will be asked to do things such as stripping, pole dancing, and private sessions. With your interesting yet handsome looks we are sure to gain some popularity and many more high paying customers."_

_At that Sanji stood from his chair and stared at the woman in surprise, a bubble of questions finally popping._

_"You own this place? What do you mean by 'private sessions'? And you actually expect me to work here?!"_

_Raising a thin eyebrow in slight annoyance at the flurry of questions, the woman simply crossed one leg over the other._

_"Yes, my name is Juniko, and for the last few years I have been the proud owner of this business. As for the 'private sessions', it involves providing entertainment for a single paying customer, and obeying their every request. And yes, I expect big things from you Mr Prince, I am even willing to pay a large sum in advance for your cooperation."_

_"How large?"_

_"How does 4000 beli sound?"_

_"Make it 6000 and we have a deal."_

_"Very well. Training will start on your first shift tomorrow night, and you will be paid the promised sum. Please be careful on your way out."_

TBC

* * *

_Reviews would be much appreciated! Let me know what you think, and what you would like to happen! I take every single suggestion into consideration, and I find that it really helps the story progress better. To be honest I'm not too sure how the currency of Beli works, so if the amount of money labelled in this story is wrong please call me out on it! __ Thank you for reading anyways!_


End file.
